The owner of the real-life Wayne Manor from Christopher Nolan's Batman films has hit back at a council in a row over completing bat surveys. Mentmore Towers, which featured in 2005's Batman Begins, was served a listed-building repairs notice last month by Buckinghamshire Council, urging the owners to carry out bat surveys and repair masonry. But a spokesman for the Grade I-listed mansion said Mentmore's 'own Batman team has already been on the case' in seeking bat emergence surveys. Issued on behalf of the owner, property tycoon Simon Halabi, the spokesman said 'professional surveys, ecological investigations and preparatory work towards a programme of repairs and restoration are already actively progressing'.The country home based near the town of Leighton Buzzard in Buckinghamshire was built between 1852 and 1854 for the Rothschild family and is the only major surviving work of Sir Joseph Paxton – the architect behind the Crystal Palace.The property has deteriorating roofs, chimneys, rooflights, roof lanterns and leadwork, with Historic England describing the condition as 'very bad' and its vulnerability as 'high'.Photographs on the council's notice show cracks in walls, broken windows, and ivy-clad walls, and when the property was visited, bat droppings were found.In the notice, Buckinghamshire Council has said the owner must demonstrate that it is appointing a contractor with experience in repairing listed buildings. If no action is taken, the council could seek government approval to acquire the mansion and further legal action. Mentmore Towers was served a listed-building repairs notice last month by Buckinghamshire Council, urging the owners to carry out bat surveys and repair masonry The Grade-I listed mansion featured in Christopher Nolan's Batman films. Pictured: Christian Bale during filming for Batman Begins in 2005 Syrian-British businessman Simon Halabi, 68, bought Mentmore Towers in 1999 with plans to convert the property into a luxury hotelThree bat-emergence surveys must be completed by August 2027, alongside any necessary Natural England licence and recommendations.Once work begins, council and Historic England officers must be allowed to inspect it weekly. Campaign group Save Britain's Heritage said Buckinghamshire Council ordered the owner of the stately home to carry out the urgent repairs.The spokesman for Mentmore, which featured as Wayne Manor in the 2005 movie and will also appear in the upcoming war film, Pressure, said: 'The Halabi family trust remain absolutely committed to the long-term preservation and restoration of Mentmore Towers.''The suggestion that nothing is being done at the property is false.' Following the council's notice, 'specialist surveys' and a 'bat-survey programme' have got underway, the spokesman said. The spokesman added: 'A schedule of works is being prepared and quotations are being obtained.'There is an irony in the suggestion that nobody is dealing with the bats when a team of professional ecologists – effectively Mentmore's own Batman team – has already been on the case.'These are not cosmetic exercises. They are necessary professional and statutory steps before responsible works can be undertaken on a Grade I-listed building of the age, scale and importance of Mentmore Towers.'Mentmore's owners hit back at Buckinghamshire Council in the lengthy statement, issued on Wednesday, saying the council had taken legal action that resulted in security fencing being removed.They say this has caused 'repeated unauthorised entry and trespass' in recent years. 'Security personnel have had to deal with intrusions and the police have been contacted on numerous occasions,' the spokesman continued.'Temporary security fencing was put in place precisely to restrict unauthorised access and protect the building, its historic fabric and those who might otherwise enter a potentially dangerous structure. 'These steps are also aimed to reducing incidents which have taken up police time and therefore taxpayers' money to deal with.'Yet Buckinghamshire Council has taken legal action which has resulted in that security fencing having to be removed.' The owner of the mansion used as Bruce Wayne's home in the Batman films was ordered to carry out bat surveys as the property has fallen into disrepair A sign on the edge of the property's boundaries warns trespassers that there are guard dogs on patrolThe mansion owners also said there was an issue with a temporary storage shed, which they said was installed to 'protect and securely store important architectural features, doors, building components, equipment and materials required for the repair and eventual restoration' of the mansion.'It was erected following professional planning advice concerning the applicable temporary permitted-development provisions,' the spokesman said.'It is therefore difficult to understand why a structure whose purpose is directly connected with protecting the fabric and materials needed to restore Mentmore should itself be the subject of action seeking its removal or demolition.'The public is entitled to ask, if the objective is to secure, preserve and restore Mentmore Towers, how does removing its security fencing and seeking demolition of the structure protecting its features and materials assist in that objective?'The statement concluded: 'The appropriate way forward is constructive engagement: recognising the surveys and preparatory work already undertaken, allowing the necessary statutory processes to be completed, and working consistently towards the security, preservation and restoration of this nationally significant building.'Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, said: 'Our focus and priority is making sure this Grade I listed building – well known and well-loved in Buckinghamshire – is protected and preserved. 'This is why we've already issued a Repairs Notice to the site owners.'We are also aware of works on site that have been carried out without planning permission, which we've looked into and are taking appropriate enforcement action on.' The property is owned by Syrian-British businessman Simon Halabi, who bought Mentmore Towers in 1999 after the building was put up for sale two years prior.The 68-year-old had intended to convert it into a luxury hotel with 171 suites, but his plans were thwarted when local resident Jonathan Davey won a last-minute injunction to halt the work at the High Court in September 2004.A judicial review was undertaken to investigate whether the conditions of the planning permission had been followed.The High Court ruled in March the following year that the decision to grant planning permission was 'unimpeachable'.However, Mr Halabi's plans to convert Mentmore Towers into a luxury hotel were abandoned when his property company fell into trouble due to the housing market's collapse.In 1992, before the businessman bought the property, the previous owners established a country club complete with an 18-hole golf course. However, it ceased trading in 2015.Documents filed to Companies House in May state that Mentmore Towers Ltd, of which Mr Halabi is the director, is a dormant company – meaning it is not trading and does not have any other income, such as investments.In addition to the Batman films, Mentmore Towers has featured in several Hollywood movies, including The Mummy Returns, Ali G Indahouse and Johnny English.It was also used as the location for music videos including Haddaway's What Is Love and the Spice Girls' Goodbye.